Mike Palmer has been named the first Head Coach of the Mercyhurst Track & Field team. Under his leadership, Mercyhurst will launch its inaugural men's and women's track & field programs in the 2025-2026 academic year.
Palmer is a proud Mercyhurst alumnus, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Religious Studies. During his time at Mercyhurst, he was also a member of the football team. He later earned a Master of Science in Pastoral Studies from Gannon University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Liberty University.
With nearly 30 years of coaching experience, Palmer is excited to bring his extensive knowledge and expertise to Mercyhurst. He began his coaching career in 1998 as the Head Track & Field Coach at General McLane High School, where he led the program for 18 years. During this time, he spent three years as the Assistant Track & Field Coach at Penn State Behrend. In 2015, Palmer became the Head Track & Field Coach at Cathedral Preparatory School & Villa Maria Academy, where he spent seven years, also taking on the role of Head Cross Country Coach for three of those years. Most recently, Palmer was the Head Track & Field Coach at Penn West Edinboro, where he led the program for one year, beginning in 2023. Additionally, he took on the role of the Head Cross Country Coach at McDowell High School in 2023. Throughout his career, Palmer has successfully guided multiple teams to competitive success in district and state championships, earning recognition for his exceptional contributions as both a coach and educator across various institutions.
Palmer has strong local ties to the Erie community, currently serving as a business/technology teacher and BCIT Department Chair at McDowell High School, while also working as a Real Estate Agent with Howard Hanna Real Estate. He is married to his wife, Peggy, and is the proud father of six children. His oldest, Haley, is a collegiate swimmer at Cleveland State University, while Hannah, a senior at McDowell, is committed to run Cross Country and Track at Mercyhurst next season. Hayden, a junior, and Halaina, a sophomore, are also students at McDowell High School. Henry is a 7th grader at St. Jude School, and his youngest, Hadley, is a 3rd grader at Tracy Elementary School.
"I am so excited about returning to my alma mater to build its inaugural Division I Track & Field program from the ground up. I'm also excited to mentor student-athletes in a well-rounded way, focusing on their development as athletes, scholars, and individuals. This perfectly reflects Mercyhurst's dedication to excellence. With a background in youth ministry and faith formation, my goal is to integrate my Catholic faith and values into my coaching. With Mercyhurst being a Catholic university, this allows me to nurture not only the physical and academic aspects of student-athletes, but also their spiritual growth," said Palmer.
When asked about Palmer's addition to Mercyhurst, Director of Athletics Joe Spano said, "The launch of our track and field program is a historic moment for Mercyhurst Athletics. Mike Palmer is the perfect person to lead this new era. His passion, experience, and commitment to our student-athletes will set the foundation for success. We are so excited to see this program grow under his leadership. This is another important step in our journey as a Division I institution."
